"A growing share of New Yorkers are struggling to afford life in one of the most expensive cities in the world as the costs of basic necessities like housing, groceries, and childcare soar. For decades, the city has failed to build enough new homes, creating a severe shortage that's driven up rents and home prices. Family-sized apartments with two or three bedrooms are especially hard to come by."
"Still, the Queens native wonders if she should follow in her aunt's footsteps and leave the city. When her son's father moved out about five years ago, Lugo sublet her second bedroom and skipped meals to make ends meet. These days, she manages to pay her $1,700 rent by juggling multiple jobs while going to school. It helps that her 16-year-old daughter, Jalene, has taken paid internships, and her parents, who live four blocks away, help care for her eight-year-old son, Ozzie, who has autism."
Massiel Lugo, a 33-year-old single mother, occupies a two-bedroom in Jackson Heights by taking over her aunt's six-year lease after the aunt moved to Georgia for affordability. Her landlord has delayed raising rent to market rates, keeping her payment at $1,700. Lugo covers rent by juggling multiple jobs while attending school; she previously sublet a room and skipped meals to get by. Her daughter contributes through paid internships, and nearby parents help care for her eight-year-old autistic son. A decades-long shortfall in new housing has driven up rents, made family-sized units scarce, and pushed many lower-income families out. New mayor Zohran Mamdani and Gov. Kathy Hochul unveiled a January plan to significantly expand housing.
Read at Business Insider
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